MEDIA, PA — The Delaware County Council has unanimously approved a $358 million budget for the Fiscal Year 2024 during a public meeting held on December 13. The budget reflects the County’s commitment to its community, with significant investments planned in resident services, infrastructure, public safety, and county staff. The approved budget also acknowledges the challenges of managing a county amid rising inflation, the need to address years of underinvestment and deferred maintenance, and the ending of federal COVID-19 relief funds.
The operating budget for 2024 increases the County’s current milage rate from 2.999 to 3.149. This increase translates to residents paying an additional $38.19 per year in County property taxes for a median home valued at $254,683, resulting in a total County real estate tax bill of $801.98.
The adopted budget reaffirms the Council’s dedication to enhancing the functioning of the Delaware County government, providing services equitably, and making Delaware County a desirable place to live, run a business, and visit.
Key investments and challenges addressed in the FY 2024 budget include:
- Addressing critical deferred maintenance as identified by the first countywide assessment of the status of County buildings and infrastructure
- Investing in competitive pay and benefits packages to attract and retain qualified and talented employees in a highly competitive job market
- Investing in natural resources, parks, trails, and open space
- Addressing ongoing and rising inflation, with the U.S. Department of Labor reporting a 22% increase in the Consumer Price Index, which measures the cost of basic items, since 2014, the year of the last County tax increase.
The Council also pointed out that when the current majority was elected in November 2019, its predecessors had lowered taxes, thus reducing the incoming Council’s revenue. The increase in the FY 2024 budget restores the County’s budget to where it would have been without the previous decrease.
The approved FY 2024 Budget aims to be a significant step towards addressing long-standing challenges and building a prosperous future.
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